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Segue: Handy, Pretty Suitcases at Citystars

Published On:
09/11/2011

With all the
holidays we’ve been having lately, we are probably all in need of some new
travel luggage. Airports usually aren’t the gentlest when handling your
luggage, and after three flights your brand new suitcase tends to look wrecked.
Thankfully, there are shops in Cairo like Segue, where you can get a brand new
shimmering and shiny suitcase set.

Located in
Heliopolis on the first floor of Citystars’ Phase 2, across from The Body Shop,
Segue carries suitcases by Benetton. Next to the suitcases there are also a lot
of purses by Sisley, Segue’s own brand and some more by Benetton. The
good thing about Benetton’s suitcases is that they usually have very bright
designs with funky colours, making it easier to spot your suitcase on the luggage
conveyer belt.

Segue offers Benetton
suitcase sets, most of which are around the same price. The best part about
Benetton suitcases is they are lightweight; so you can pack all the more items.
The small suitcase weighs around 3.5kg and costs 1070LE. The middle size weighs
4kg and will set you back 1280LE. The
large suitcase weighs 5kg and costs 1520LE. These prices apply to the standard
line. The design is bright with the Benetton logo all over it.

There are some special designed lines as well,
such as the Shakira line. The Shakira line looks deliciously fine: the hard
shell cases come in bright pink or blue with the Benetton logo popping out. At
the time of this reviewer’s visit, only the medium size and small size were available
for 1470LE and 1225LE respectively.

There is an
extensive collection of purses too. They come in all shapes, sizes and designs.
If you’re looking for bright purple, eclectic orange or simple black, you can
find something here.

The Benetton bags
in the cheaper section have rather dull designs with the brand logo all over. If you don’t mind being a walking commercial, you can score yourself a
small bag (225LE) or a medium sized one (350LE). If you want a more
timeless design, then you will have to shell out at least 795LE for a shopper.

Segue’s own brand
is very similar to Benetton in design but a bit more expensive. Small and
medium-sized bags cost between 300LE and 400LE. If you want something less
dull, flower-designed purses are also available. Prices for the nicer designed
line start at 525LE.

Most bags by Sisley
are similarly priced between 400LE and 500LE. Unfortunately, the design of
Sisley is also very similar to that of Benetton and Segue; so much so that this reviewer began to
suspect that all the bags were produced in the same factory.

There is a small
shoe section too, featuring Segue’s own brand including wedges for 500LE and Birkenstock-inspired
flip-flops for 230LE.

Segue’s designs all look alike, which is boring
if you want diversity; so it’s better to focus on the suitcases instead. The shop’s
attendants are friendly and generally let your stroll around on your own
without bothering you. When you’re in need of a nicely designed and brightly
coloured suitcase; definitely check out Segue.

Shopping
for a gift isn't always an easy task, especially when it comes to seeking a creative
wedding present. Just passing outside Lovely Lace on your way to Citystars’ food
court on the first floor of Phase 2, it’s hard not to stop and take a look at
the old-fashioned English room-style decorations full of pink and light orange
satin ornaments. Yes the collection is excessively girly with lots of lace and
frills, but you can definitely find something suitable for a bridal gift
inside. For such
good quality, the products are also very moderately priced: you can get a gift,
have it wrapped with your choice of fabric and style, and get a card for about
100LE! A pretty satin-decorated candle costs 25LE for the medium size, with other
shapes and sizes of candles in the same price range. For the same price, you
can also purchase bride and groom-shaped candles (25LE each) that will be
perfect for a wedding or an anniversary dinner. If you’re
looking for some simple ideas for home gifts, there’s a bunch of plastic
flowers to choose from, though their purple shades aren’t that attractive.
However, the light brown wooden ‘Welcome’ door sign (60LE) is in very good
quality with flower carvings on its frame. One of the creative gifts ideas for
newlyweds is a box to save extra wedding invitations for keepsake: the box
costs 75LE but it stands out among the other regular picture frames. The huge
bride and groom balloons at the entrance of the shop may give you the
impression that it’s just a bridal gift shop. Though they take up most of the
shop, Lovely Lace has many other gifts that can be suitable for others
occasions as well. Sections for baby shower gifts include little pink and blue
picture frames. One picture frame in particular with cute
little stuffed animal figures around it (145LE) grabbed our attention. Just when
you think the shop has ended, there’s a whole other section behind the wall,
dividing the shop into two halves. The wrapping section is full of all kinds of
glittery, soft, or paper fabrics. Wrapping a medium-sized gift doesn’t exceed 50LE.
Don’t forget to check the cards’ wall, with many cards to choose from, ranging
around 30LE. Shopping
for a gift in Cairo is becoming more and more fun with so many shops knowing
exactly what their customers are in search for.

Wobbling under the weight of ridiculous price tags, many of Cairo’s fashion addicts are now left to choose their battles; either opt for a cheaper version of their favourite, or merely lessen the damage of bankruptcy by disregarding unnecessary items that add up figures to the cheque.

But come what may, one thing a real fashion addict can never dispose of is the final touch of a piece of jewelry, which can do wonders to an outfit. One of the places that saves the hassle of finding what’s both affordable and trendy is I AM – an accessories shop in Mall of Arabia.

Located next to Paul, the little shop has a minimal setting of black and white, letting all the shiny little items do the magic. Displayed next to the entrance is a collection of trendy earrings, including a floral ear cuff (105LE) made of leaf-shaped plastic stones of mint-green and powder-pink. While the first needs nothing but a pierced ear lobe, those who have their ear frame pierced will find a collection of sets to choose from, starting from 90LE.

Though the previous collection offers trend, I AM has other accessories that offer both trend and value through a collection of gold and silver–plated jewellery. From the 925 silver-plated accessories, we liked a pair of hollow triangle earrings (225LE) and a gold-plated necklace, to which a charm in the shape of 3 dots is attached. Bearing in mind that the brand is trying to maintain a certain price range, the pieces of this collection are microscopic, if compared to other collections.

But I AM boasts a decent collection of bags, from which we liked a velvet-embellished tote bag (425LE). Other than that, there’s a limited range of items like scarves and hats, including a tribal-patterned pink and beige scarf (299LE) and a burgundy head turban made of wool (120LE), which can come in handy in the winter.

With such a colourful spectrum of trendy-yet-affordable accessories, I AM is the silver lining to many a fashion addict’s financial woes – when diamonds are unaffordable, I AM’s accessories are a girl’s next best friend.